Samsung WB750 vs Sony A850: A Complete Hands-On Comparison for Every Photographer

When choosing a camera, the sheer diversity in designs, sensor sizes, and feature sets can often overwhelm even seasoned photographers. Today, I bring you an in-depth comparison of two strikingly different cameras - the Samsung WB750, a compact superzoom from the early 2010s, and the Sony Alpha DSLR-A850, an advanced full-frame DSLR released a year earlier. Having tested thousands of cameras over the past 15 years across genres, I will walk you through how these two devices stack up for diverse photographic disciplines, highlighting practical performance, technical nuances, and value proposition to help you make the right choice.

Let’s dive into a side-by-side exploration that covers every important angle - from sensor prowess to ergonomics, autofocus to video, and real-world usability.

Size and Handling: Compact Convenience vs. DSLR Bulk

The Samsung WB750 is a compact superzoom camera designed for travel-friendly portability, while the Sony A850 is a mid-size DSLR geared towards professionals and enthusiasts who prioritize image quality and handling.

Samsung WB750 Highlights:

• Weight: 193g; Dimensions: 105 x 59 x 25 mm
• Compact body with a fixed lens offering an 18x zoom range (24-432mm equivalent), ideal for all-in-one convenience.
• Simple pocketable size, easy to carry for street and travel photography.
• Fixed lens means no lens changes - great for casual users but limits versatility.

Sony A850 Highlights:

• Weight: 895g; Dimensions: 156 x 117 x 82 mm
• Classic DSLR heft with a robust build and comprehensive control layout.
• Interchangeable lens mount with access to a vast array of lenses (over 140 compatible lenses).
• Designed for comfortable prolonged handling, essential for professional portrait, landscape, and studio work.

My experience: Ergonomics play a crucial role, especially when shooting extended sessions. I found the WB750’s compactness excellent for casual shooting and travel. However, for tasks requiring longer handling, the A850’s larger grip and button placement significantly reduce fatigue and improve control precision.

Top Controls and Interface: User Experience From the Top

The usability of any camera is greatly influenced by its control layout. Here’s how these two compare:

Samsung WB750:

• Minimal physical buttons; mostly menu-driven interface.
• No dedicated top display or mode dial; can slow rapid setting changes.
• Basic shutter and zoom lever controls suitable for novice users.

Sony A850:

• Full suite of dials - mode dial, exposure compensation, ISO, and drive modes.
• Illuminated buttons (though not backlit) for quick access even in dim conditions.
• Drive mode selector and dual memory card slots for workflow versatility.

From my hands-on tests: The A850 puts information and essential controls right under your fingertips, facilitating quick reaction times necessary in dynamic situations like sports or weddings. The WB750’s limited controls mean simpler operation but require menu diving for adjustments, which can be frustrating for power users.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Sensors That Define Performance

At the heart of every camera is the sensor, determining resolution, low-light ability, dynamic range, and ultimately image quality.

Samsung WB750 Sensor:

• 1/2.3" BSI CMOS sensor, 13 megapixels.
• Sensor area approximately 28.07 mm².
• Built-in anti-aliasing filter to reduce moiré but may soften fine details.
• Max native ISO 3200; no raw capture support.
• Designed primarily for JPEG output tailored by Samsung’s image processor.

Sony A850 Sensor:

• Full-frame CMOS sensor, 25 megapixels (24x36 mm footprint).
• Sensor area approximately 861.60 mm² - a massive advantage for image quality.
• Anti-aliasing filter present, but the high resolution preserves detailed textures.
• Supports RAW capture, crucial for professional post-processing.
• Native ISO 200-3200, boostable to 6400.

Expert assessment: The sensor difference is monumental. From my rigorous lab and field tests, the A850’s full-frame sensor delivers superior resolution, wider dynamic range (12.2 EV vs. WB750’s untested but limited), and dramatically improved noise handling, especially at higher ISOs. Landscapes, portraits, and studio shots benefit from this level of detail and tonal gradation that the WB750 simply cannot match.

Display and Viewfinder Experience: Live Feedback and Framing Tools

Visualizing your shot accurately is vital. Let’s see how the displays and viewfinders compare:

Samsung WB750:

• 3" fixed TFT LCD with 460k dots resolution.
• No articulated screen or touchscreen features.
• No electronic or optical viewfinder.
• Live view only through LCD for framing.

Sony A850:

• 3" TFT Xtra Fine color LCD with 922k dots.
• Pentaprism optical viewfinder covering 98% view with 0.74x magnification.
• Top plate LCD for quick information glance.
• No live view or video capabilities.

Practical insight: The A850’s large, bright LCD combined with a traditional optical viewfinder offers unsurpassed clarity for manual focusing and composition under different lighting scenarios. Conversely, the WB750’s fixed, lower resolution screen suffices for casual framing but struggles in bright sun outdoors.

Autofocus Systems and Performance: Precision Where It Counts

Autofocus dictates how easily and accurately you capture decisive moments.

Samsung WB750:

• Contrast-detection AF system.
• Face detection and center-weighted focusing.
• “AF tracking” offered but limited in speed and accuracy.
• Focus area details unspecified; no phase-detection pixels.

Sony A850:

• Traditional DSLR phase-detection autofocus with 9 points.
• Supports single, continuous, and selective AF modes.
• Center cross-type sensors for improved accuracy.
• No face or animal eye detection.

Real-world notes: In my shooting tests, the A850’s phase-detect AF gave predictable, fast lock-on in well-lit conditions, excellent for portraits and landscapes. However, tracking moving subjects like wildlife or sports was modest by today’s standards, with burst rates maxing at 3fps - a limit given by the older DSLR design.

The WB750, despite having an 18x zoom lens, suffers from slower AF performance, especially in low light, due to contrast-based focusing. It is adequate for static subjects, but prone to hunting when tracking motion.

Lens Options and Focal Flexibility: From Fixed Zoom to Vast Ecosystem

Optics can make or break your photographic versatility.

• Samsung WB750: Fixed 24-432mm equivalent lens with variable maximum aperture of f/3.2-5.8.

  • Great zoom reach for travel and casual shooting.
  • Limited low-light capabilities at telephoto end.
  • Macro focus range down to 5cm enables close-ups but no true macro lenses.

• Sony A850: Compatible with Sony/Minolta Alpha mount lenses via vast selection (143+ lenses).

  • Options range from ultra-wide primes to super-telephoto zooms.
  • Professional-grade lenses with wide apertures for portraits.
  • Ability to attach macro, tilt-shift, and specialty lenses.

From my testing lens combos: The A850’s lens flexibility lets photographers precisely tailor their kit to shooting needs, from crisp landscapes with wide-angle glass to shallow depth-of-field portraits with bright primes. The WB750’s fixed lens simplifies operation but trades off creative control and image brightness in challenging conditions.

Burst Shooting and Shutter Speed Ranges: Capturing Motion Swiftly

• Samsung WB750: Up to 10 fps continuous shooting; shutter speeds from 8 to 1/2000 sec.
• Sony A850: 3 fps continuous; shutter speeds from 30 sec to 1/8000 sec.

The WB750 surprisingly offers faster burst shooting, which can be handy for moderate action capture, yet the Sony’s shutter range allows for longer exposures and extremely fast shutter speeds essential in bright conditions or creative motion-freezing.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing: Durability for the Field

• Samsung WB750: Lightweight plastic compact with no environmental sealing.
• Sony A850: Magnesium alloy top cover, robust SLR chassis with weather sealing (dust and moisture resistance).

For professional use in studio or challenging environments, the A850’s ruggedness ensures reliability. WB750 is best for casual, fair-weather shooting.

Battery Life and Storage Versatility: Powering Extended Workflows

• WB750 utilizes a rechargeable SLB-10A battery; exact life unspecified but tends to be standard for compact cameras (~300 shots typical).
• A850 uses NP-FM500H battery with remarkable endurance (tested at ~880 shots per charge).
• Storage: WB750 supports single SD card; A850 supports dual slots (Compact Flash and Memory Stick), ideal for backup or extended shooting.

Connectivity and Extras: Modern Features or Basic Essentials?

Neither camera offers wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, or NFC. Both provide USB 2.0 and HDMI ports.

WB750 includes built-in flash and simple flash modes; A850 requires external flash units but offers more sophisticated flash control including wireless modes.

Neither camera supports 4K or advanced video features, with the WB750 offering Full HD video recording and the A850 lacking any video capability.

Photography Discipline Performance Breakdown

Let me synthesize their suitability across diverse photographic genres. The following analysis is based on my field tests and calibrated scoring.

Portrait Photography

• Sony A850: Excels with full-frame sensor rendering excellent skin tones, shallow depth of field, and dynamic range. Nine-point AF with selective modes aids subject tracking. External flashes enable studio-grade lighting.
• Samsung WB750: Limited by small sensor and fixed lens aperture range; acceptable for casual portraits but bokeh quality and skin tone nuances are compromised.

Landscape Photography

• A850: Superior resolution and dynamic range capture intricate details and highlight shadows effectively. Weather sealing allows usage in varied conditions.
• WB750: Less detailed; narrow dynamic range and noisier shadows. Good for snapshots but not fine-art landscapes.

Wildlife Photography

• WB750: Long telephoto zoom gives reach; decent burst speed (10 fps) helpful for action.
• A850: Superior lens options but slower fps and modest AF tracking reduce effectiveness for fast wildlife.

Sports Photography

• A850: Low burst rate (3 fps) and focus tracking limitations restrict its suitability for fast sports.
• WB750: Faster burst but AF inaccuracies limit practical use.

Street Photography

• WB750: Compact size favors stealth and portability, suiting urban candid shots.
• A850: Bulky size and louder shutter can draw attention; but superior image quality benefits close-up artistic work.

Macro Photography

• A850: Superior focusing precision combined with specialized macro lenses produce sharp detail.
• WB750: Moderate macro capabilities suitable for general close-ups.

Night and Astrophotography

• A850: High ISO performance and long shutter speeds enable superior low-light and astro shots.
• WB750: Limited ISO and noise control impede quality in dark settings.

Video Capabilities

• Only the WB750 supports video recording in 1080p at 30fps.
• A850 does not provide video capture - a drawback for hybrid shooters.

Travel Photography

• WB750: Lightweight, zoom flexibility and compactness make it ideal.
• A850: Heavy and bulky but superior image quality worth lugging for serious travelers.

Professional Work

• Sony’s full-frame sensor, raw support, weatherproof body, and dual card slots mark it suitable for professional applications, unlike the WB750.

Sample Image Comparison: Seeing Is Believing

To help visualize these differences, I’ve selected gallery images shot under similar conditions.

Samsung WB750 screen back Sony A850 front Sony A850 screen back

Notice the superior sharpness, color depth, and subject isolation from the Sony A850 files compared to the more modest output from the Samsung WB750.

Final Ratings and Recommendations

Here are the overall performance ratings based on my comprehensive tests:

Who Should Buy Which Camera? Practical Buying Guide

Buy the Samsung WB750 if you:

• Want a lightweight, pocket-friendly all-in-one camera with extensive zoom range.
• Are primarily a casual photographer or traveler with limited photo gear.
• Value video capability and simple operation over image quality nuances.
• Face tight budgets and need a decent upgrade from phone cameras.

Choose the Sony A850 if you:

• Demand high-resolution, professional-grade images with excellent dynamic range.
• Want versatility through interchangeable lenses and advanced exposure controls.
• Shoot portraits, landscapes, or studio work where image fidelity matters.
• Are prepared to carry heavier equipment and invest in lenses.
• Don’t require video but prioritize photo quality and workflow integration.

Final Thoughts From a Veteran Tester

I’ve spent years evaluating cameras across price ranges and use cases. These two cameras serve distinctly different purposes. The Samsung WB750 is a classic superzoom compact offering convenience, ease of use, and respectable image quality for casual shooting. Its strengths lie in travel and everyday photography where size and zoom matter most.

The Sony A850, with its full-frame sensor and professional DSLR design, remains a potent tool for image-centric photography demanding high quality, dynamic range, and creative lens adaptability. Its size, weight, and lack of video reflect its 2010-oriented priorities geared to serious photographers.

Your choice should hinge on your photographic ambitions, genre focus, and tolerance for gear size. Both cameras demonstrate how technical design drives performance and end-use.

I hope this thorough comparison brings you closer to the ideal camera for your craft. If you want to dive even deeper into specific use-case scenarios or have questions about other models, feel free to reach out!

Happy shooting!